The major event for the year was the Stage II Review. The outcomes were by and large successful with complimentary remarks being made about the conduct of the research projects by the constituent groups. However, it was suggested that more cooperation between the actual projects themselves could be desirable. This is being examined. It was also suggested that the CRC should have a better developed plan for its future. This also has been considered, both by the constituent groups themselves and also by the Coordination Committee.

The Coordination Committee has decided that the CRC will not seek continuance after June 1999, and that the constituent groups will each seek continuance in their own right or in combination with some other CRC. Plans for this have already been formulated and have been incorporated in submissions for the next round of CRC funding. This will facilitate cleaner administration and strengthen the other CRCs. Further collaboration has been recognised and has been built into the proposals.

The Research Data Network CRC is well placed to be able to complete its activities in June 1999, because its projects can transfer neatly into future proposed CRCs, funding is already allocated to those projects and IP matters and commercialisation are already being handled by appropriate groups.

Another event of significance was the closing of the Experimental Broadband Network by Telstra late in 1997. Just prior to that, a Workshop was held with Telstra to explore options for the future. The workshop highlighted the achievements made by the parties in demonstrating applications of broadband networks. The decision by Telstra was nevertheless disappointing. Some alternative arrangements have been put in place and the research programmes are continuing as planned.

The CRC has been active in public fora including conferences and particularly, ATUG, where an exhibition featuring the projects of the CRC commanded a high degree of interest.

The research projects are all proceeding according to plan with major milestones being met. Some highlights include:

• Framework for Access to Multimedia Environments (FRAMES)
  • The design of a distributed interactive media framework and its demonstration for generating sports highlights.
• On-Line Data Archives (OLDA)
  • The development of a Tdistributed computingU architecture and its demonstration for retrieving earth observation data for agri-business applications.
• Resource Discovery
  • Now successfully exploiting research outcomes P establishing a framework for whole of government on-line information, supported by the development of key international standards for meta-data and user technology.
• Network Applications and Performance
  • The project expanded the availability of the McIver video-on-demand tool to new user organisations, and incorporated the technology into Cinemedia's SWIFT video-on-demand service for Victorian schools.

The programme being conducted within the ambit of the CRC continues to be driven by the wisdom and foresight of the leaders of the constituent groups. The potential for a national broadband research infrastructure in Australia has been raised by the leaders and has been supported by recent reports to Government, particularly the Goldsworthy report. We hope the new Government might include such an initiative as part of its support for the Information Industries. This would be helpful from the viewpoint of deliberately aligning research programmes with national goals and could avoid fragmentation of directions and consequent under-achievement of national potential.